Nara X Uchiha ((Working Title))
by AsphyxiatedAnxiety
Summary: When an unknown Shinobi sends out a distress flare Shikamaru's team was on duty to respond, who was this girl, what power did she hold and how much would she turn his world upside down?
1. Chapter 1

With the sun setting and exhaustion setting in after escaping a horde of bandits wanting to steal her coin and blades. A bleeding superficial wound now graced her face, cutting from above the left eye down to her cheek where a badly, on her part, aimed kunai had skimmed across the flesh, managing to flee with her life but not without a few parting gifts from the bandits besides the new scar she would have after the skin had healed on her face, three shuriken had embedded themselves in her back, thankfully her vestment was thick so no point pierced further than the superficial layers of skin.

The gates to the village hidden in the leaves was in sight but she could not go on, dropping to the floor beside the road, panting for breath while unable to pull the shuriken from her back reached in her back pouch for a flare in hopes someone would see it and come to her rescue. As she pressed the button at the base which in turn sparked the fuse inside the case, seconds later a small rocket shot up about 70 meters in the air before bursting into a flash of red light, illuminating the immediate area around her. She watched as the light of the flare slowly floated down to the ground several meters from her, closing her eyes unable to keep them open any longer not did she realise that shinobi of the leaf had seen her signal and deployed a four man squad to investigate.

The four who were dispatched were Shikamaru Nara, Kiba Inuzuka, Sakura Haribo and Hinata Hyuuga, all if which were at Chunin rank at this time, formidable fighters and rising masters I their own right. Kiba alone with his ninja hound Akamaru would sniff her out, since she had lost a good amount of blood it wasn't difficult, Hinata who with use of her Byakugan Kekkei Genkai could find her chakra flow in her body asking as she was not already dead. Sakura was on standby as a medical ninja invade the call was genuine. Last but not least Shikamaru, sent as a strategist if the call was false and his shadow possession ninjutsu was needed along with his quick thinking.

Akamaru you d the scent of blood quickly, walking cautiously up to her, and signalling to Kiba he had found a bloodied person.

"Akamaru's found someone..." Kiba announced to the group, setting his torch down nearby.

"Byakugan!" Hinata said as she activated her Kekkei Genkai, looking from Kiba's chakra network to the bloodied person they had found. " Shinobi...their Chakras depleted so we shouldn't need to worry..." She turned to Shikamaru who only nodded to Sakura to move forward.

In the dim light she resembled Sasuke Uchiha, her long jet black hair tied in a spiked bun and fringe that would usually sit either side of her face was covering her high cheek bones and soaked with the blood from her wound. Her thick brown wool jumper was torn at the back and some near miss shreds on the arms hid her figure, her legs were covered with basic Shinobi trousers she had bought in the land of lightning. No-where on he did she have a headband to show her affiliation.

"Sa-sasuke?!" Sakura dropped to her knees seeing the blood, checking for a pulse and moving the hair from the wound. Sakura knew then that this was not Sasuke, just someone who resembled him well. "its not him.. but she's going to die if we don't get her to the hospital!" as she spoke he hands began to glow green with healing chakra.

Hinata dropped to the side of the girl, supporting her and gently pulled the shuriken from her back so that Sakura could heal the wounds and stabilise her condition. "i wonder who did this and why..?" she said quietly to herself. "Kiba, can you run her back on Akamaru? "

Kiba nodded and mounted his ninja hound with ease. "if she lives we can question her to what happened.. right?" he asked as Sakura had finished what healing she could do given the circumstances.

For the first time Shikamaru broke his concentration from the surroundings, being ever vigilant of a second attack. "and to why she came here, no headband to affiliate her with a ninja village yet shes dressed as such, we will check through her gear once we are back in the village, this is going to be such a drag"

Kiba smiled at Shikamaru's complaint as Sakura and Hinata eased the girl into his arms for transport. " huh, she does look like him though.." he moved the collar of her jumper over her shoulder to check for a curse mark like the one Sasuke had "definitely no curse mark here.. besides even in this state I see no risk" he said returning the collar to its rightful place before gripping hold of Akamaru.

"Sakura on your return inform the Hokage of this.." he ordered retrieving the torch from the ground. "Kiba get going!" He sensed the presence of people in the woods down the road, assuming it was the assailants who had attacked the girl he was on guard and ready to fight if he had to but would also avoid it if the people in the woods remained there.

Without hesitation Akamaru bounded for the village gates, two meters a stride easily, the lights on the gate getting closer and closer with each passing second, The feeling of being shaken around on Akamaru's back made her eyes flutter open weakly, unable to keep them open long she caught a glimpse of Kiba's neck and chest with the feel of Akamaru's fur beneath her, a groan escaping her lips as pain shot through the wounds on her back, unconsciousness took her once again.


	2. Chapter 2

A full day and a half had passed since she set the flare, her condition stabilised and consciousness returning. She saw through her unbandaged eye the sun gleaming through the windows and the curtains blowing softly in the midday breeze, feeling a set of eyes on her she looked at the bottom of the bed, trying to sit herself up a look of terror on her face not knowing where she was or what would happen to her here.

"Hey! Don't try to move.. Okay we aren't going to hurt you" Shikamaru said standing from his chair, placing his hand on her shoulder to stop her getting up and causing herself more hurt. "I was part of the team that came to investigate the flare you set off.." He said making sure she laid back down before returning to his seat.

She relaxed slightly, letting herself be laid down again, her sapphire blue eyes examined Shikamaru for a moment, believing that he would be no threat to her. Her voice came out clear as crystal but shaken, her full strength still eluding her. " Am I in the leaf...? "she asked trying to sound stronger than she was, her hand shook as she reached up to touch the bandage on her face.

"Yes.. You're in the hospital here, when we found you, you had lost a lot of blood, Sakura had her work cut out for her fixing you up..." Pulling out a notebook and pen from his right side pouch. "Would you be up to answering some questions we have? Your pouches gave us some answers but not all of them.." He said softly knowing he should wait to ask but it was essential to assess the possible risk she posed.

She nodded, setting her head to the side so she could see him clearer, letting her hand fall to her side. " Thank you..." She knew she would have died if the four hadn't come out, her mortality hit her like an expansion jutsu fist to the face. " I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you and your team... I'll answer anything you ask of me.."

Shikamaru gave a faint smile in her direction, leaning the book on his knee. "Then let's get started...while going through your effects we discovered a scroll from the late Fugaku Uchiha, You aren't from the Leaf, why would he be writing to you..?

Tears welled up in her eyed hearing her father's name. "He...he was my father..I am his bastard.." She said quietly, memories flooding back to her of her father teaching her to wield a blade before the massacre happened.

Shikamaru's face dropped to a grimace, having been under the impression that Sasuke and Itachi were the only Uchiha left. " So Mikoto isn't your mother..? " to this question she shook her head, meeting his grimace without flinching. "None of your papers showed your name..."

"It's Luna...Luna Uchiha...Before my father passed he sent me that scroll.. if you read to the end he recognises me as his child and gave me his name" For better or worse it was best to be honest with the young man before her.

Shikamaru wrote the information onto his notebook in silence, flipping the page to the next question he was going to ask. " Where did you come from and why are you here..? This would have been asked of you at the gate if you hadn't have had a run in.."

She sighed, turning her body on its side to face him, the discomfort in her back showing on her face. " I come from the Land of Lightning...I..I wanted to come home.. after my mother passed she wanted me to come here to be with my brother...the only family I have left.."

" Your brother isn't here... he's been missing for some time, we know of whom he is with but we haven't been able to track him down to bring him home yet..." He said quickly jotting on the page again, lifting his head and catching her gaze, they found themselves gazing into each others eyes for what seemed like forever.

Sakura entered the room, the sound of the door was enough for the two to snap out of their gaze. "Was I interrupting something Shikamaru?" She said with a smirk on her face as if to say she had caught him red handed.

"On the contrary we have been clearing up a few things.." He said flashing the notebook at her, before turning to her. " Have you come for a healing session..?" He asked noticing the bowl with fresh bandages in her hand

"If you don't mind...?" She set the bowl on the bedside table, removing the bandages from the bowl so to fill with warm water. She really wasn't giving Shikamaru a choice in the matter.

He smiled and shook his head. "while Sakura is getting herself set up.." He said looking back at Luna, avoiding her eyes. " Right..last one for now okay..? What happened to your headband...or anything that shows you're a ninja...? This was the question that made him curious, listening intently to the answer.

"Since I promised to answer your questions I will.. my father wanted me to return with him on his last visit so I could train with my brother, mother wouldn't allow it...she didn't want me to live the life of a shinobi, I trained myself so by technicality I'm not even a Genin.." She said as Sakura returned with water.

"Now that's enough talk..Shikamaru would you assist me please..? M'lady Tsunade is busy but asked me to come ahead..." She turned to Luna. " I have to change the bandages on your back alright..? Shikamaru is going to help you sit so I can help the healing.." She said motioning to Shikamaru to help her into a sitting position and keep her upright.

Shikamaru stood, coming over to the side of the bed, sitting on the edge, threading an arm under Lunas head and around her back to help her up, he could feel how weak she was, scared of hurting her anymore than she had already endured on her journey here. "Lean on me, Sakura knows what she is doing.." He said softly adjusting her so her back was facing away from him and towards Sakura.

"Thank you.. Shikamaru..Sakura...for everything.." Burying her face in Shikamarus shoulder a few tears fell, the warmth of the people around her being such a surprise and a relief, she held onto his padded vest, trying not to rely too much on him for support.

Sakura undid the ties that held her gown together, pulling the sides apart enough to see all three bandages, removing each in turn with care and using her healing ninjutsu to further the healing on each. "I don't think you need bandages anymore...a few days and you won't be able to tell the difference.." She said softly washing off small drops of dried blood. " I need to check how your face is healing too.." She set the pillow back in place and tied the gown up.

Shikamaru helped Luna to lay back down carefully, bringing the covers back up to her waist. Returning to his seat he watched as Sakura gently removed the bandage over Lunas eye, cleaning the area and using her ninjutsu one last time to heal the wound enough it wouldn't bleed anymore. "Looks like you're gonna have a nice scar.. Miss Uchiha." He said trying to make light of the situation.

Sakura turned on her heels hearing Lunas last name was also Sasukes. "You're Uchiha..?" She was as surprised as she looked. " You look like him...except.."

" My eyes...they're my mothers.." Luna said forcing her weakened self into a sitting position. " I just heard that he's not here...when I am able to, I want to help you find him.." She said offering her forearm to Sakura, managing to keep it from shaking as best she could.

" If the Hokage allows it..I would appreciate the help.." Sakura smiled, taking Luna by the forearm. " But for now you need to rest..." She said softly, letting Lunas arm go and making sure she was comfortable. "Shikamaru...Kiba will relieve you in an hour.." Was the last thing she said before leaving the room with her bowl and bandages.

Luna watched Sakura leave the room before looking out the window beside the bed, her waist long hair was plaited so it wouldn't tangle so easily, she flicked the hair over her shoulder as she watched the birds fly around. " How long was I asleep...?" She asked Shikamaru, never taking her eyes from the birds and trees.

Tilting his head to the question. " Long enough...I bet you will be keen to leave the hospital..?" He said seeing how focussed she was on the outside world.

"I need to get my strength back...the journey took it out of me." She turned her head to face him, her face was sore and in places a tinge of purple where bruises had come up around her eye.

The hour passed quickly, too quickly as Shikamaru and Luna talked about nothing in particular until the topic of Shogi was brought up by Shikamaru when he spoke of his Sensei, she could tell it was a tough subject and that Shikamaru must miss him terribly.

"Have you ever played Shogi?" He asked having relaxed into the chair he was in, turning his head sharply when he heard the door opening and Akamaru walking in. " Looks like the cavalry has arrived! Careful Kiba she's dangerous.." He laughed as he stood, greeting Kiba as he walked in the room.

Akamaru padded over to Luna, setting his head on her lap gently eyeing up at her for a fuss. Luna smiled seeing Akamaru, scratching behind his ear happily. "I remember this fur...so soft.." She said quietly petting Akamaru and not paying any mind to the boys talking and getting Kiba up to speed.

"behave yourself Kiba..." shikamaru warned with an indifferent look on his face as he left the room.

Kiba turned to see Akamaru's tail wagging from the fuss, surprised to see his hound take to a stranger so quickly. " looks like you've got a fan already.." he said in an amused tone before he noticed the bruises " looks like that hurts a bit...being honest when we found you, you're face was mostly red with blood...were glad you pulled through though" he said seating himself in the chair Shikamaru had been sat in, hands behind his head and reclining.

" I would have got here in one piece if I hadn't been attacked on the main road here..." She said looking up from Akamaru's head on her lap, recognising the profile of the man who brought her to the village. "Thank you..for bringing me here.." Her eyes showed that she was sincere and very grateful to him as well as Hinata who she hadn't had the chance to meet and thank yet.

"It's no trouble...why don't you get some sleep, I'm sure Akamaru wouldn't mind keeping you company" He said softly getting out of the chair and pulling the blind closed so the sun wouldn't be on her face.

"Alright..i'll try.." She said curling down under the blanket, with Akamaru's head next to hers as she fell asleep playing with the hounds fur, The memory of that evening's attack playing through her mind over and over again until she woke up suddenly, sitting straight up in the bed with beads of sweat on her skin.


	3. Chapter 3

Dawn came and she found herself sat on a bench outside the hospital, watching the sunrise down the long street, everywhere was still quiet, many still in bed, she smiled faintly to herself hoping that this place could be her home and she could be happy here, become a shinobi, find someone to settle down with. She was so lost in thought she didn't realise someone was walking towards her until his shadow covered her face, snapping her from her day dream.

" You really shouldn't be out here by yourself..." A familiar voice said, crouching infront of her, Shikamaru gave her a warm smile. "let me take you back up to the ward.. okay..? The Hokage will be arriving shortly" he said offering her his hand to help her stand.

She smiled taking his hand gently, Most of her strength had returned to her, more so after having a walk and enjoying the fresh air, she rose with him, the morning sun made her eyes shine like the gems they resembled when the light hit them. " Kiba was asleep when I left the room...I needed some fresh air..."

He sighed knowing that this woman would test the ends of his patience if she stayed in the village, not that he wasn't up for a challenge but in his opinion it was going to be a drag if she left. " Come on then before I get it in the neck for not keeping you out of trouble.." He said walking her briskly back to her room to find Kiba still snoring away. " Typical..." Reaching into his right pouch he retrieved a kunai knife, smirking as he threw it passed Kibas face and lodging it into the wood of the chair he was sat in.

Kiba's brown eyes shot open hearing the kunai being thrown in his direction. "Shikamaru! What on earth was that for..?" He snarled pulling the kunai from the wall. "were you trying to kill me or something..?"

"I'm glad to see years of training are being put to good use" The strong voice of the Hokage rang out behind Shikamaru and Luna. " Enjoy your little walk young lady..?" She said walking round to the bedside and picked up her medical chart. "Shikamaru re-laid the information you gave him yesterday...Welcome home Luna, I hope you will be happy here in the leaf, when you are better we can discuss your becoming a shinobi...does that sound fair.?"

Looking up at the blonde haired woman she understood why she was Hokage, she nodded. "Yes M'Lady that sounds fair" she said bowing her head respectfully before lifting her head, her bruises having faded from purple to pale brown yellow in colour.

"You're healing faster than I anticipated.. It's a good sign trust me.. We have had a place for you to stay made up for you, over time you can make it your own but for now it has all the basics you'll need.." Lady Tsunade said passing a scroll to Shikamaru. " I expect it won't be too difficult to drop her home Shikamaru..? Luna you will be expected to attend the academy and attain Genin status before you will be permitted to leave the village for any reason" she said before writing on Lunas chart that she was cleared for discharge.

"Of course M'Lady as you command" he said bowing his head in respect before turning to Luna" We should gather your things and I will show you home?" His face was blank, no emotion like a good little soldier doing what he is told and when he's told to do it whether or not he wanted to do it.

The Hokage left after wishing Luna all the best for the future and that she would keep an eye on her in the weeks to come, This sparked an ounce of hope in her that she hadn't felt in a long time, even the journey from the land of Lightning to the Leaf Village didn't give her hope, but now being here with people who would hopefully become her friends and fellow shinobi some day.

Luna nodded at Shikamaru, making sure everything was back inside her pouches, sighing when her other set of clothes were ruined and couldn't be repaired so dug out a spare pair of trousers from her back pack, pulling the screen across before putting them on to cover her bare legs to which Akamaru came over, sniffing her. "Hello.." she crouched down and fussed the hound, smiling when he licked her face. "Alright alright I like you too!" she said through her giggles.

"Sorry about him.." Kiba said whistling for akamaru to come back to him. "He's usually reserved around people he doesn't know.

"It's no trouble Kiba.." luna said letting her hair down out of the braid to brush it and put it up in a tight bun leaving her fringe section down.

"You ready to go..?" Shikamaru asked as he picked up her gear pouches having read the scroll the Hokage had given him. He looked Luna up and down for a moment, trying to figure out who she was beneath her walls.

"Yeah I'm ready.." she went to heft her pack onto her back but her wound was still too fresh to bear the weight. She winced and dropped her pack.

"Let me carry it for you, you still need to rest.." Kiba said picking the bag up off the ground. "You gonna be alright?" he asked seeing the pain on her face.

She stood up straight and nodded at Kiba, Grateful for his help. "Thank you Kiba, I guess I'm not as healed asI had hoped yet.." she said feeling a little embarrassed.

"Come on then, you can get some rest at home and sakura will come and check on you this evening.." Shikamaru said with a soft smile on his face, giving Kiba a nod to follow him. " I do hope you'll be happy enough here.." he said leading Luna out of the hospital with Kiba and Akamaru at her side.

She watched people passing in the streets, trying to make a mental map of the village for her own benefit. " I hope I will be happy here also.. It's been a long time since anywhere has felt like home" She said wrapping her arms around herself as she walked, looking up at the sky as some birds flew over thinking about getting a birds eye view. Without saying a word she scaled a circular building and leaped onto the roof to get a good look around, the view was incredible, taking a deep breath.

Kiba turned when akamaru stopped. "What is it boy..?" He looked up, Following Akamaru's gaze and shaking his head when he saw Luna up on the roof 3 stories up. "Shikamaru.. Want me to go up and get her down..?"

Shikamaru stopped when Kiba called him, raising an eyebrow before looking up at the roof, he could see her long fringe blowing in the wind and a smile on her face. " It's alright, I'll go." He said and set the pouches down next to kiba before leaping from building to lamp post then to the roof. "You know were meant to be taking you home right..?"

She turned her head and smiled. " and you always do as you're told i'm guessing?" she said challenging him privately. " detours never hurt anyone… I didn't know how big this place was..you've lived here all your life..?"

Shikamaru smiled. " You'll get used to it… now we better go before you hurt yourself anymore.." he closed the gap between them and picked her up, swinging her onto his back. " Now hold on.." He held under her legs and once he was sure she was holding on he leaped from rooftop to rooftop for her to see the village from above, knowing Kiba will follow behind them.

She held onto him tightly, leaning her head on his when she stopped near the river to catch his breath. "This place is beautiful.." but before she could say anymore he was off again, a moment later dropping down in an abandoned area of the village where the Uchiha clan lived before the massacre.

"Here we are… it'll be quiet here unfortunately, but this is where your father lived and sasuke before he left.." he said satting her down next to the house. " Everything you'll need is here.." he said retrieving the key from his pocket.

"My fathers house?" She looked at the house, it was nice and well maintained considering it hadn't been lived in properly for some time. " Thank you.. For everything.." she said picking the key up out of Shikamarus hand and unlocked the door, the house had been tidied for her. She walked inside, taking her shoes off at the door, leaving them to the side.

Akamaru got to the house before Kiba, with Luna's pouches in his mouth, setting them down before following her inside. WOOF!

"Oh Hello again.." she said and scratched behind his ears.

"You've lost your dog Kiba.." Shikamaru added with a chuckle when Kiba finally turned up.

"You traitor Akamaru!" He said catching his breath and laughing with Shikamaru.


	4. Chapter 4

The weeks flew by and the day came for Luna to take the academy exam to officially make her a Genin, which naturally she passed with flying colours, getting her headband with the Leaf symbol on it, seeing the symbol made her feel like she belonged here. That afternoon she was set to meet

Sakura and Ino for a trip to the hot springs to celebrate her graduation. " Finally " she said under her breath, holding the headband as she walked, avoiding everyone on the street as she walked.

Ino smiled and waved excitedly as Luna approached them, "Hey we thought you weren't gonna show up!" Bag in hand she moved to link arms with Luna "So you're one of us now.. isn't that great?!"

"You have no idea how happy I am... being a shinobi is all I've ever wanted and now I'm on that path, Iruka sensei said I might be ready for the Chunin exams next time round... aslong as I avoid almost dying again." She said with a smile, putting her headband in her bag holding Ino's arm. " So what have you both been upto while you was waiting for me..?"

Sakura smiled "Nothing much just making plans for when they guys come back from their training weekend with Kakashi sensei and Guy sensei... which means you can show your new headband to Shikamaru when he comes home.." She said with a smirk on her face.

Unable to hide her pink cheeks when Sakura spoke about Shikamaru she shook her head. " I thought this was supposed to be a boy free afternoon..?" She asked trying to brush the thought of him from her mind, it was true that she liked him, probably more than she cared to admit to anyone, even if the girls did figure it out by them selves. She sighed " I have never been to a hot spring before so this should be fun! " she hoped that even if they boys did appear in conversation the water would make her look flush anyway.

Ino and Sakura exchange knowing looks before heading inside and into the changing rooms, tying her hair up in a plait, deciding to leave her fringe down having decided to have her hair cut so she had a side fringe instead of a centre parting, finding it suited her better.

The three girls wore towels around them, walking out into the pool area, grateful they were the only ones there for now. Lunas eyes fixed on the steamy water, dipping her foot in it to see how warm it really was, she smiled thinking to herself almost forgetting the other girls were there, the water was more soothing than she expected it to be, sliding into the water, setting the towel down on the edge and resting her head on the towel, making sure her hair was out of the water as Sakura and Ino climbed in with her.

"See we told you the water was nice...and it will help your back too, I know it still gives you trouble.." Sakura said softly pulling her hair into a bun on top of her head.

" You don't need to worry about me Sakura, I'm alright now... If I could get around the village without getting lost then that would be a miracle" She said with a soft laugh, the heat really seeming to sooth the scars on her back, she relaxed and closed her eyes enjoying the warmth and enjoying spending time with her friends.

Somehow the conversation switched from training to the boys even though the afternoon was mean to be guy free!

"We all know that Sakura is waiting for Sasuke to come home.. so there's no point asking her who she likes..." Ino said with a smirk while Sakura glared at her. "You never know Luna.. Sakura might be your sister-in-law some day.."

Luna looked from Ino to Sakura. " I would be honoured to call you family Sakura, Even if I haven't met my brother yet, I've heard bad things about him from people but I don't want to believe them. He's an idiot for leaving.."

Sakura smiled, holding back her own emotions, remembering how she had felt when Sasuke had first left the village. " I think if you had been here before the Chuunin exams that year.. He might not have left.." She pulled Luna close and hugged her tight. "we will bring him back I make that promise to you.."

Luna set her hand on Sakura's shoulder, seeing how much pain she was in. "It will all work out.. But until then we need to be ready for anything and not let anyone come between us and our goals..." She said with a new found determination in her voice letting go of Sakura.

" Which means we also have to get you through the Chuunin exams... unless you want to stay a Genin like Naruto.. Not that that's a bad thing, more a technicality when going on missions...but in Narutos case he's on par with Kakashi sensei...if he put his mind to it he could surpass the 4th Hokage..!" Ino said stating a fact as she twisted water from the end of her hair.

"Then I will be ready and pass so I can help you find my brother and bring him home.." Luna said standing up and heading to the edge of the water, one handing herself out of the hot spring and ringing out her hair as best she could.

"You do what you need to, we will be here when you need us.." Ino said seeing that Luna wouldn't be convinced to stay no matter what was said to her, she waved her friend off and sat on the edge wrapping the towel back around her.

That afternoon Luna found herself at one of the training grounds, with a bag full of scrolls that she had found in her family home, where she was now living, to help her learn, she dug out her headband and tied it around her forehead before unrolling one of the scrolls on a tree stump.

" No excuses time to train..!" Luna focused her chakra, performing the necessary hand signs " Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu! " with that she essentially spat out roughly 20 football sized fireballs into the surrounding area, watching some collided with each other and exploding and some hitting the stone targets ahead of her repeating the Jutsu until the targets were destroyed.

By this point her chakra was close to being depleted, beads of sweat stuck to her skin,after ridding herself of her woollen jumper, leaving her with her under shirt and blade holster on her top half, black tight fitting trousers covered her legs.

" I can't give up..! " she breathed to herself eyeing up a thick oak tree at the edge of the open space following up with the Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu, scaled down in size to make a target ring on the tree. She ran back and forth, leaping and flipping as she threw Kunai and shuriken at the tree, aiming to hit the circle target she had set herself and before she knew it she was hitting the target every time smack in the centre, also by this time it was getting dark, finding it harder to see the target she gathered up her blades, stowing them away in her pouch as she caught her breath.

" Time you went home now don't you think..?" She heard a familiar voice say from the tree line, It was Kiba and Akamaru. Akamaru padded forward and over to her, nudging her hand with his head with a pine. "He really does like you, you know..?" Kiba said following his furry friend over, perching himself on the stump beside her gear.

"Hey Akamaru..Kiba, How did you know I was out here..?" She asked kneeling down beside Akamaru to pet him and in turn he licked her face, like a big slobbery kiss. "Alright boy I like you too!" She laughed, holding her hand up to stop the barrage of wet tongues all over her face.

" Sakura said you might be training.. Congrats by the way..!" He said tipping his chin at her headband. "Officially one of us now..." Scratching the back of his head as he looked at her and Akamaru. " If you're done... why don't you join us all for some supper before Choji eats it all anyway.."

Realising she hadn't eaten since breakfast she nodded. " Ide like that, Thank you Kiba.. " closing her eyes she stood up carefully, her legs shaking from expending so much chakra and energy. " I think I over did it today.. " she muttered to herself, Kibas acute hearing heard her anyway.

"How long have you been out here..?" He asked lifting her by the elbow, he could feel her muscles shaking, even her eyes looked tired which was a rare sight. " Better get some food in you before you end up back in the hospital.."

" Ide guess 8 or 9 hours at least...since its gone dark and food would be great..i'm starving!" She exclaimed as with Kibas help to stand up straight, her stomach groaning.

" Come on then, everyone will be wondering where we are if we don't leave now.." He smiled picking up her bag as she packed the last scroll into the pouch on her hip.

By the time the three of them made it to the restaurant, Choji had already started to eat, Kiba pushed the fabric at the top of the door aside for Luna to walk in ahead of him, the light showing how hard she had been working and how physically strong she had gotten compared to the day they found her.

"Jeeze girl you do like to worry us! " Ino announced over the table, moving over enough for her to sit down with everyone else. " we thought you'd gone missing...where ha-" Ino cut off mid sentence seeing that Luna had been training all afternoon.

" Sorry...time seemed to slip away, I didn't mean to worry you Ino.." She said sitting down next to her friend, seeing everyone at the long table they were occupying. " Did I miss anything..?"

" Just the first round of pork... Choji didn't want to wait for you anymore.." Piped up Shikamaru who looked like he didn't want to be there, not taking his eyes off the window he was sat beside, his head rested on the palm of his hand, just gazing up at the sky.

"Sorry for making you wait.. How about I buy a round of pork as an apology..?" she said and put cash enough for the next round of pork.

"You're totally forgiven!" Choji said sucking in a piece of pork. "I knew you was a good egg Luna!" He smiled and signalled to a waiter for another round.

While the waiter was at the table Luna ordered some tea and some Sushi for her tea as another waiter was bringing every ones orders of noodles or rice dishes.

"We should do this again sometime, It's nice that all of us can get together like this!" Kiba said readying his chopsticks before taking a sip of his soda.

Lunas order was the last to arrive but the first to be demolished, she didn't realise how hungry she was until she had started eating.

"Looks like someone was hungry, I bet you could beat Choji in an eating contest if you tried!" naruto piped up between mouth fulls of ramen.

With everyone talking and eating no one noticed when Luna fell asleep on Ino's shoulder until she started to snore lightly, although with the day she'd had its a wonder KIba hadn't found her asleep.

Turning his head hearing the snores Shikamaru smiled faintly, having already finished his food. " I'll take her home, you guys carry on .." he said getting up from his chair. "See you all tomorrow" he waved lightly, to which everyone smiled and returned the wave not wanting to wake Luna, he gently lifted her into his arms, throwing her jumper over her to keep her warm in the cool night air.

Standing outside her house, he could see the inside was immaculate, he unbuckled her pouch belt and set it on the sofa along with her blade holsters before carrying her into her room and tucking her into bed, trying not to wake her. He didn't know why but after pulling her headband off he sat for a few minutes watching her sleep, thinking to himself that a lot had changed in the weeks since she arrived and never wanting to admit he cared he pulled a book from his pouch that he had picked up for her on the way back from the training mission, he set it down on the night stand with a note that read : Still want to play? : and signing it was a deer's silhouette, sticking it between the front cover and page 1, the book explained how to play Shogi. He stood and quietly left, making sure he closed the door tight behind him.


	5. Chapter 5

Morning came as a shock, the heavens had opened up and heavy rain was falling from the storm heavy overcast sky. Her eyes shot open, a moment of panic hitting her as her eyes focussed on her surroundings. "How did I get home..?" She asked herself sitting up, realizing someone had brought her home. "I must have fallen asleep..." Looking at her bedside she saw her headband laid out next to the book Shikamaru had left for her, pulling the note out from between the pages and smiling, a warm sensation filling her chest as she read it. " Shikamaru...".

After dragging herself out of bed she went for a shower and carried on with some of the housework before putting a fresh set of clothes on, plaiting her damp hair and reattaching her gear belt and holster. " Maybe I should pace myself more than yesterday..." She said quietly to herself before heading out in the pouring rain to the training grounds.

She thought it best to practice her lightning style which came from her Kekkei Genkai ability, drawing her chakra with hand signs "Lightning Charge: Lightning Charge ", separating her hands slowly as her chakra fizzled and sparked between them, creating sharp crackling lightning, once the lightning was generated she slammed her hands into the ground, breaking and cracking the earth around her and towards a small cluster of trees, uprooting them and making them burst into fire, but with the electricity already in the air anyway it caused an explosion of lightning from the point of impact upwards into the sky. "Uh-Oh! This didn't happen last time...maybe it reacted with the electricity in the air...?"

Luna grimaced as the lightning showered around the point of impact, setting the nearest trees on fire, knocking a few down in the process. "Not good.." Not wanting anyone to get hurt if it got out of hand she ran up close to the trees that had fallen, kneeling with her hands on the earth and feeling for her chakra in the lightning, trying to absorb as much of the energy from it as she could, feeling the electricity mix with her chakra and diffuse, not realising the film of electricity that surrounded her body, the rain sizzling as it touched her, steam from the evaporated water rising, she looked up at the sky as the lightning eased, slowed, stopped crackling before it stopped altogether. Breathing heavy with pain, her palms were burned and throbbing. "I have to discharge..." she said uncomfortably, the power inside her reaching dangerous levels. Keeping one hand on the ground, she pointed her other directly above her, focussing all the excess energy to her fingertips, whimpering at the pain before letting it all go at once, a single lightning bolt shot from her hand into the sky with a crack, lighting up the entire area, the film around her shooting into her hand as the energy left her.

Hearing footsteps coming towards her she let herself roll onto her back, bringing her hands up to her face as the rain continued to fall. Resting her stinging hands on the cold, moist grass beneath her, sighing with relief, her chest rose and fell quickly. If she didn't practice her ability she wouldn't be able to control it and master it.

"Luna! "

She heard her name being called before a big wet slobbery tongue came across her face. "Hello, you..." She said softly bringing her hand up to scratch Akamaru behind the ear, ignoring the searing pain in her hands.

Kneeling down beside her worried Kiba thread his arm under her head and lifting her up carefully. " How unlucky do you have to be to be hit by lightning Luna..?" He smiled down at her. "You are definitely another Naruto, Looks like we have got our hands full with you haven't we?"

"Kiba... I'm alright, just overdid it again., " she said sitting up from his arms carefully, hanging her hands over her thighs. "I wasn't hit by lightning... my Jutsu got out of control... I didn't realize it would react like that to the electricity already in the air.." She looked down at her hands, grateful it was just a few burns and not someone else getting hurt.

Kiba looked at her wide-eyed. "I didn't know you could use Lightning Style too... You should have had your Sensei out here with you... You could have been seriously hurt" he could see her hands were shaking, he reached out holding her hands in his so he could see the damage, sighing. "You remind me so much of Naruto when he graduated... He would be out here all the time, pushing himself to the limit every day until he ended up in the hospital...not much has changed in that sense apart from it takes more for him to end up like that.." He said expressing his worry for her safety. " I don't want you pushing yourself... You fell asleep yesterday on Ino... I don't want to tell you what to do but ide like you to at least have someone out here with you, be it me or someone else.. We can help you train. " He truly cared about her safety and especially now, knowing how volatile her chakra could be and her inability to control it.

Taken aback by his words she looked at his hands around hers, giving his hands a gentle squeeze. " Thank you, Kiba... I'm just not used to people caring so much about me, I'll try to think from now on.." She said turning her head to look at him. " Would you be willing to help me train for a bit... dinner would be on me after of course.."

He smiled and nodded, leaning his head on hers for a moment. " I'm guessing the rain doesn't bother you then..? " he asked as water dripped off his hair. He stood easily bringing her up with him. " Will you be alright training with your hands like that..?"

"I'll be fine... " She said once she was on her feet, reaching into her pouch for some bandages, wrapping the worst of the burns up so it wouldn't bother her as much. " See.. all sorted now. Maybe sparring would be easier on me for today, Besides my TaiJutsu could do with some work..."

"That's fine... Akamaru sit watch.. " he said with a grin on his face, Akamaru laid himself under a tree out of the rain while Kiba pulled two Kunai from his pouch. "you sure you don't want to back out..?"

Reaching into her pouch for two of her own kunai. "Not going to happen.." She smirked, backflipping several feet away not noticing that the burns on her hands had bled onto the bandages.

The sparring started off slow, progressively speeding up and becoming more violent between Luna and Kiba. Both ending up with some light scratches and empty weapon pouches. Kunai, Shuriken were scattered all around them and lodged in the trees around them.

"Looks like its all hands on now..." Kiba chuckled, wiping a line of blood off his face, cracking his knuckles as he caught his breath. " Unless you want to call it quits..?"

"I don't give up so easily Kiba..." She said breathing heavily, repositioning herself into the defensive stance: Fudo Dachi.

Kiba chuckled, coming at her full force and within five minutes had her pinned to the ground. " Sure you don't want to give up..?" Water dripped from his hair onto Luna's face, catching her surprised eyes with his gaze. Both of them breathing heavily, out of breath and grateful to get the training in even if it was pouring down with rain.

Gazing up at him, surprised at how strong he was, unable to move her hands or lift her knee. "Kiba.. " her cheeks flushed red.

"Luna. " He turned his head away, the moment becoming far too intimate to be appropriate. " maybe we should call it quits..?" He said letting her go, rolling off her catching his breath.

She sat up slowly, turning her head away from him. " I think that would be best... I think even Akamaru is soaked through.." She said standing easily before heading to retrieve her kunai from the grass. she removed the bandaged from her hands, screwing them into a ball before shoving them into her pouch to sort later.

Turning his head to see Akamaru soaking wet, shaking water off himself. "Probably a good idea.. " he stood up and walked over to Luna, wrapping an arm around her waist. " Good thing we weren't trying to kill each other.. right...? Trust me... I'm surprised that your mom didn't let you train years ago...you would be deadly.." He said letting her go and collecting his Kunai blades.

" Thanks, Kiba.." Making sure she had all of her blades she twisted water from her hair. " So does Ichiraku Ramen sound good to you..? Considering were soaking wet.."

"Sounds good to me Luna.." He said softly calling Akamaru to his side. " We better get going before we catch a cold.." He turned to start walking back to the village.

She smiled, feeling less exhausted than yesterday and grateful to have a sparring partner, walking with Kiba to Ichiraku Ramen without saying a word until they arrived, dripping wet under the shelter.

" See having someone to train with tends to help you pace yourself.." He said pulling a stool back for her as Akamaru settled on the ground by the wall, grateful to be out of the rain.

" Seems like I've still got a lot to learn about teamwork..." She said sitting in the stool Kiba had pulled out for her, smiling softly placing her order, Kiba following with his order as he sat down. "promise you won't tell anyone about the lightning..?"

Kiba turned his head to her. " Whats in it for me..?" He said with a smirk on his face, resting his chin on his hand and raising an eyebrow.

"Well besides my undying gratitude and friendship..? "she said punching him in the arm playfully. "I could do without the judgment looks..." Looking down at the steaming bowl of ramen that had been placed before her, enjoying the heat coming from it.

Kiba chuckled. " You think of me as a friend..? Ain't that sweet.." He said snapping his chopsticks apart, barely feeling the punch. "I won't say anything unless someone higher than me asks..." He said before starting to eat, throwing some food from his pouch down for Akamaru along with a bone.

"Thank you, Kiba... You're a good friend.. " she said before following his lead, breaking her chopsticks before starting to eat. Polishing off the Ramen first before drinking the juice. "Best ramen ever!" She smiled broadly.

Finishing his food shortly after, reaching down to pet Akamaru on the head before turning his head to Luna. " No ramen is like Ichiraku's..." He said hopping off his chair. "May I walk you home..?"

Slipping off her chair she smiled and nodded. " I would appreciate that.." She said smiling softly, turning to pay for the ramen, turning back and fussing Akamaru only to get her face licked. "Oh Akamaru!" She laughed trying to stop the ninja hound.

After calming Akamaru down Kiba helped Luna to her feet before walking her back home, thinking to himself the entire way there only to snap out of it when she opened her front door. " I will see you soon yeah..? Make sure you don't overdo it and take it easy.." He said, waving as he headed off on Akamaru's back.

Closing the door behind her, she headed for the shower, remembering the book Shikamaru had left for her when she was pulling on her night clothes, deciding she should start reading and before she knew it she was absorbing the information in the book, falling into a deep sleep before dawn broke.


	6. Chapter 6

A month went by quickly, Luna doing mainly D rank missions around the village to earn money and spent her afternoon's training with her friends, getting stronger and working with them as a team. On a weekend she would spend a day with Kakashi Sensei training her Kekkei Genkai to be able to control it and use the power to her advantage.

Hearing the rasp of hurried knuckles at her door she woke from her dream wide-eyed and stumbling sleepily towards the noise. She turned the handle slowly, the midday light bothering her eyes as she opened the door to greet. " Ka-Kakashi sensei..? " She said starting to adjust to the light, seeing him more clearly now. "Is something the matter?"

He smiled softly from under his mask at her sleepy appearance. " We have a mission beyond the village if you're up to coming with us, Lady Hokage wants you to get some field experience...instead of beating up Kiba.." He said with a chuckle, seeming to know everything she does. "Now comes on, get dressed, we are leaving in 10 minutes..."

She nodded at him, leaving the door half open before heading back into her room to dress In her black fitted trousers and a black crop top considering how warm it was, brush and plait her hair and attach her holster and pouch belt. " cant I just stay in bed..?" She asked herself quietly, hoping no one could hear her from the door, she finished her ensemble with her headband, making sure it was in place before heading back to her front door where her team was waiting for her. She smiled and nodded to Sakura and wondering where the 4th member of the team was. "are we missing someone..?"

"Oh!" He counted the two shinobi before him. "Shikamaru must be waiting at the gate for us. I did ask Kiba but... he's feeling a little beat up.." He chuckled and pulled his book from his pouch and began walking before using the rooftops to make the journey to the gate go faster.

The three shinobi set foot on solid ground near the gate, Shikamaru was conversing with the gate guards, turning his head slightly when he heard them land near him. "Took you long enough...was Sakura stressing about her hair again..?"

"Hey! I resent that!" Sakura snarled, holding her fist up to him, wanting to punch him in the face. "Luna was in bed, you Idiot!" She pointed her finger at Luna before crossing her arms expecting an apology that she probably wouldn't get.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at Sakura, turning only his gaze towards Luna. " It's a female Naruto..." A sliver of a smile appeared on his face, turning his head to Kakashi with a nod. "We better get going. It's going to be dark by the time we arrive anyway.."

"You're right, I will explain our mission on the way.." He said and started off at a run, arms hanging behind him as he did so, Sakura and Shikamaru took up the left and right positions respectively while Luna tailed behind Kakashi, keeping up without much difficulty.

Kakashi stopped after a couple of hours near a freshwater stream, surrounded by dense trees. "We should stop here now.. 15 minutes and we carry on.," he said slumping against a tree, turning his eye to Luna. "Our mission is to check out a lead on Sasuke, Luna...we might see your brother soon if they haven't moved again.." He closed his eye, resting his head against the tree. " we have to stay inconspicuous. You would be surprised at how many spies Orochimaru has at his disposal.."

"So you drag along the two people who won't listen to that.." Shikamaru announced as he finished filling his canteen up, shaking his head. He knew someone was going to get seriously hurt if they let their heart control their actions.

Luna nodded, not saying a word, taking the chance to refill her canteen and check her blades were sharp, wondering why she was even brought along on this mission, especially since it was probably a B or A rank mission which was above her Genin status. Wanting to finally meet her brother but at the same time, she knew he would probably try to kill her on sight.

Before they knew it their break was over and it was time to get going again. "we are headed for the land of Earth, south of their hidden village.." Kakashi said leaping into one of the tall trees to get his bearings. "Lets go.. keep up"

Practically in unison the three shinobi leaped up after Kakashi, landing on separate branches of the trees, keeping up with him the entire time he ran and jumped between open planes and dense forest, as the sun began to set, it became harder to see where they were going, storm clouds blocked out the light of the moon, the four snapped their light sticks once they had found a small cave to make camp.

"This will have to do for tonight... " Kakashi sensei proclaimed, throwing his light stick as far into the cave as he could to make sure it was indeed empty.

"Sleeping here is going to be such a drag Kakashi Sensei.," Shikamaru said having rather continued on in the dark to cover more ground but knew the girls didn't have his or Kakashi's level of stamina to keep going, he turned to see the girls slumped against the side of the cave together, Luna was already asleep and Sakura wasn't far behind her.

Kakashi smiled. "let them sleep, we ran them enough today, we should be safe here," He said before summoning his ninja hound Pakuun "Fancy standing watch for us Pakuun..? We are going to need our strength for tomorrow.." His hound nodded and settled at the entrance of the cave.

Shikamaru sighed and threw a thin blanket over the girls to keep them warm. " why did you bring them Kakashi... We could have done this ourselves.." He said quietly not wanting to wake the girls.

" Sakura is a good healer, her medical ninjutsu is an asset, why wouldn't I bring her along? Now Luna needs to go on missions get the training and experience, she has us to keep the worst off her beside it is her brother were after...maybe she can convince him to come home.."

"You're using them as bait Kakashi, hoping to play on Sasuke's emotions to disarm him..." He grimaced, looking down at the girls. "If they get hurt because you brought them here.."

"You'll what Shikamaru..? " he waited for an answer, raising his eyebrow when he didn't get one. "Get some sleep, I won't hear any more of this from you.." He said making himself comfortable in a semi-seated position.

Shikamaru curled up opposite the girls, watching them for a moment before he fell asleep, feeling confident with Pakuun around to keep watch for danger in the night.

Dawn was breaking when Shikamaru heard movement, opening his eye slightly he saw Luna getting up and heading to the entrance of the cave, Kakashi and Sakura were still asleep, he got up quickly and silently, grabbing her arm to stop her going outside. "you shouldn't go out alone Luna, I know you're capable but right here.. right now you of all people shouldn't be out here alone... " He said catching her gaze, his eyes showing how serious he was being on the matter.

"Shikamaru I... " She found herself unable to speak, the way the new days light graced his face made her heart race, thankfully with her face hidden in the shadow he wouldn't see the pink in her cheeks.

He lifted his hand gently up to her face, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear never taking his eyes off hers. " Yes..?" Was all he could manage, feeling mystified by the luscious blue of her eyes and the way they seemed to shine more brightly when he looked into them.

Luna brought her hand up to his at her cheek. " Thank you... For caring about me.." She smiled broadly, her face felt warm being so close to him.

Suddenly Pakuun barked loudly " In the trees!" He yelled running into the cave to wake Kakashi and Sakura but as Sakura opened her eyes the unmistakable sound of flesh being cut rang in the cave.

Luna's eyes closed, the pain now showing on her face was intense, her calf had been stuck with a Kunai blade, she didn't let out a whimper for fear of an assault but the pain was evident on her face.

Quickly wrapping his arm around her, being snapped out of his trance by the pain on her face, he moved her away from the entrance of the cave, Sakura following over to see to Luna's leg. "Kakashi!" Shikamaru shouted as he set Luna down with Sakura to see to her wound.

Luna had been laid on her side so Sakura could attend to her wound which was bleeding, Her vision becoming blurry struggling to keep her eyes open. "Sa...kura..."

Pulling his headband up so his other eye, his Sharingan eye was now exposed, finding the assailant in the tree easily. " We have been found, Shikamaru we better get rid of them before more come and the mission fails.." He said sternly focussing his chakra.

Shikamaru nodded and helped Kakashi take down the three assailants in the trees, keeping one alive for now to question for information. The first two dead on the ground in the open space.

Sakura had pulled the Kunai from Luna's leg. " Try not to move.."

Sakura used her medical ninjutsu to heal the wound, grateful it was within her power of healing fully as it was a flesh wound and not more complex. " you should be alright now.."Not realising the gleam on the kunai wasn't from the blood. She stood and headed over to where Shikamaru had caught the last assailant in his shadow possession Jutsu. "what do we know..?"

Sakura's words were the last she heard before she passed out, the kunai she had been stuck with had been coated in a tranquiliser, slumped against the side of the cave a ninja clad in black with a mask that covered his face picked her up. He never spoke a word, only glancing at her team who were occupied with the thugs. He retreated from the cave in complete silence.

"Luna's gone..." Kakashi announced, turning his head seeing the cave was empty, the kunai that stuck her was on the floor near the entrance where Sakura had tossed it.

"what do you mean she's gone..?" Shikamaru exclaimed, turning his head to the cave. He knew she wouldn't have gone off without saying unless it was against her own volition. "Where could she have gone...Sakura?"

" I don't think she got up, we would have heard her moving, she not very stealthy shikamaru.." She said before investigating the kunai in more detail, feeling it had a gelatinous coating. " Kunai laced with a tranquiliser... she was taken, unless someone mistook her for Anbu without a mask or were specifically after her..?"

Kakashi brought his headband back over his Sharingan eye. " Orochimaru... Shikamaru you were right I shouldn't have brought her...How could he have known..?" He pondered on that question a moment.

"Damn straight you shouldn't have brought her, besides the fact she is a Genin...Why would Orochimaru want her anyway..?" He asked lifting the last remaining thug up by the collar.

Kakashi looked at Shikamaru. "Her Kekkei Genkai..."

Shikamaru's expression grew dark, turning his head back towards the cave. " We can't let him use her like a battery, it's barbarric.." His hands folded into fists, angry that this had happened.


	7. Chapter 7

The tranquiliser kept her unconscious or almost an hour, waking slowly her forearms were bound behind her back, her thighs and ankles were also bound in thick rope, she struggled against them to no avail, she couldn't make hand signs to burn the rope off.

The room she could tell was vast and underground, she felt no warmth in the ground she was leant against but she could feel eyes on her and that was enough to unsettle her. The ropes that bound her were tight and constricting, even with her strength she felt another's Chakra at work.

A figure walked towards her, playing with one of her short katana blades testing its sharpness he drew a line on her cheek. " Seems like you're harder to track down than you look, Luna.." He smirked coming into the small torch light so she could see him, It was Orochimaru, standing over her, examining her. " We wouldn't have had this issue if you had come willingly the first time.." Rolling his S's as he spoke.

"It doesn't matter what you do to me. My team will find me soon enough.." She tried to sound more confident than she was, discreetly trying to focus her chakra into lightning too, in theory, char the ropes that bound her. To her dismay the second she was about to release the chakra, the ropes tightened a little.

"I wouldn't try using your Kekkei Genkai my dear, My own chakra flows in your bonds, each time you try they will get tighter and tighter till you die... I would rather you didn't try to kill yourself.. I have a very special job for you" He said crouching next to her, grabbing her by the chin and bringing her towards him when the door at the far end of the room opened, a young man in an open white shirt, a sword at his rope belt. "Right on time as always. Meet our new battery.." He said calmly, never taking his eyes off her.

"Battery huh...she doesn't look like much... you're sure she's HIS granddaughter?" Dark hair came into the light and leant on the wall, it was indeed Sasuke Uchiha. "I don't fancy digging another grave because you made a mistake again Lord Orochimaru.." He didn't even look at her.

Orochimaru looked up at Sasuke with a grin on his face, his snake-like tongue protruding from his lips. " Oh I'm sure this time... no need to get the shovel..." he then stood forcing the blade into the earth above lunas head.

The ropes tightened again as she tried to release herself, her eyes closed as she quieted her squeal on pain, breathing more heavily she looked up at Sasuke with her Sharingan eyes, one of the traits she inherited from her father. " Why..?"

Hearing her speak Sasuke pulled his eyes from Orochimaru, landing them on her with a cruel look that turned to shock and pain as he saw the Kekkei Genkai of his clan. " Those eyes...? Who are you...? Only my clan has the Sharingan..." he wondered to himself that maybe it was just a trick by Orochimaru to prove loyalty.

"Nice to see she still has some fight in her.. Do not concern yourself with her Sasuke, Just check in with the perimeter..." He commanded.

" I'm your sister...Sasuke.. " talking just seemed to make her tight bonds hurt, even more, the pain was all over her face, she hoped that somewhere her brother might still care enough to at least loosen the bonds.

Orochimaru chuckled. " You're only hurting yourself, dear, I think it best you stop fighting.." producing two sharp probes from the box to the right of Luna. " I'm not going to tell you this won't hurt...because it will.." he said cruelly before sticking the probes into each side of her temple, receiving an electric shock from her as he did so before too long the whole room lit up with electricity supplied from Luna.

She yelped as the probes were stuck into her, small electric sparks came from each side as it absorbed the lightning she had been trying to make to free herself. The massive power store whizzed and whirred as it filled with power, faster than Sasuke had ever filled it. For the second time she felt her own mortality, the bonds loosened slightly as the excess energy was fuelled into powering Orochimaru's lair.

Kneeling beside her Sasuke moved the hair from her face seeing the leaf insignia on her headband. " Are you telling me the truth..?" she nodded finally being able to catch her breath. " I don't believe you... my clan was massacred by my brother, everyone's dead" He snapped before heading towards the door of the room.

Without her Chakra, she was weak and vulnerable, every time she tried to free herself her bonds tightened and her power was absorbed into the power bank, she turned her head watching as the level rose, 30%.

Orochimaru grinned, heading for his workbench now able to continue with his work, almost forgetting she was there as Kabuto brought in a willing victim for his experiments. Having to leave the room when his subject died, grumbling he dragged the body from the room.

She must have fallen asleep when she heard the faint clang of blades colliding down the hallway, she assumed Kakashi was fighting Orochimaru, she attempted to cry out but Sasuke held her blade to her throat and shook his head. When did he get there she wondered. "Sasuke...Please.." she looked up, fear and pain in her eyes, hoping he would believe her.

With Orochimaru chakra no longer running through the bonds they loosened as Orochimaru had to use it to fend off Kakashi's attacks.

She glared up at him, using what strength she could muster to kick him away and letting out what chakra she had converted earlier, lightning shot from every chakra point o her body in a quick burst, the rope disintegrated and she was free. Breathing heavily she scanned the room, seeing two figures coming towards them in the dust.

Sasuke grunted from the sudden kick. " Still got the fight in you I see.. let's see how you fair against me!" He snarled running at her full speed and striking her in the stomach with his Chidori.

A look of pain covered her face, turning her head to spit the blood from her mouth. She wanted him to think he had hurt her when in fact because if how her Kekkei Genkai worked she converted the strike the instant it made contact, leaving nought but a red mark on her skin. Not having noticed Shikamaru in the dust in till his shadow possession took them both, freezing them in place.

" Shadow possession complete, " he said hoping he wasn't too late. " Luna you alright..?" he asked returning to a standing position. " Did his Jutsu hit..?" he asked as the dust began to settle, seeing Sasuke hand on her stomach, the rough outline of a minor burn and the look on Sasuke face as he thought any second she was going to die because of him but she didn't.

"H-how..how are you still l..?" in trying to move he glared at Shikamaru. " You better let me go, Shikamaru, I swear to go-" he shut up the instant he saw Sakura deciding it was best to keep silent.

"Sasuke is that really you..?" tears formed in her eyes seeing him for the first time in years. She then saw the state of Luna.

"Don't look at me like that Sakura... I'm fine..." Luna said giving Shikamaru the go-ahead to let her go, once the Jutsu holding her broken she dropped to the floor unable to keep herself standing any longer. " Zap me with that again brother..and I'll kill you.. " she said angrily spitting another glob of blood from her mouth, using her arm to cover her stomach.

" Sasuke did what?! " She ran over to Luna, moving her arm to see the damage, looking shocked at her having seen what Sasuke's attack is capable of, by all accounts Luna should be dead, dust.

"I told you Sakura I'm fine.." she said breathlessly, giving her friend a weak smile, bruises starting to show on her forearms from where the ropes had been on her skin.

" What's the damage Sakura.. .? " Shikamaru asked unable to see through Sakura, not showing how worried he was right then as he was focussed on keeping Sasuke from bolting.

" Shes fine if you hadn't noticed Shikamaru... how I don't know... by all reasoning she should be dead.. not like I missed you know.," Sasuke admitted openly closing his eyes as he calmed his temper only to get a punch to the gut from Sakura at full strength.

Both Luna and Shikamaru eyes shot open to see Sasuke fly across the room from the punch.

Sasuke hit the wall at speed, falling to the ground and catching the breath that had been knocked out of him " I deserved that..." Sasuke grumbled holding his stomach, having dropped the blades he was holding. Pulling himself to a seated position against the wall. " I'm sorry but I'm not coming back to the leaf, I haven't done what I set out to do yet..." he felt a twinge in his chest looking at Luna. " Only Uchiha have the Sharingan... if you really are who you say you are you will understand why I can't go back..."

"What the hell Sasuke you could have killed her!" Sakura protested as she helped Luna to her feet, her hand over the burned mark on her stomach as she used her healing ninjutsu to heal it.

Sasuke looked at Luna who shook her head, pleasing him not to say anything. " I'm sorry Luna my anger got the best of me, If I have known.." he turned his gaze to Shikamaru as he stammered to his feet. " he wanted her ability to convert chakra to electricity to power his lab, His experiments are getting really dark... my Chidori was never enough to keep the power on for more than a few hours at a time, in just 10 minutes the power bank was almost a third full...it would take me hours to fill that by myself..." he said retrieving his blade from the ground and 're searching it.

"Sasuke!" she screamed at him wishing he had shut up sooner because the look she got from Shikamaru was enough to make her heartache.

" Jesus Christ Luna, why didn't you tell us...is that why you have been training with Kakashi sensei? It's something we should have known, will you be able to make it back okay?" Sakura asked, making sure she had her weight supported.

" I'm...ill be fine..." she didn't want to show weakness, not now her secret was out, not wanting to say if she hadn't been able to absorb the blow she would have died, even though she can absorb lightning she can't let it pass through her heart or she will die. With great difficulty she stood by herself, waving Sakura help away with a forced smile, each time she jolted small sparks shot from her at intervals.

" Luna please don't push yourself, you'll hurt yourself more than you're already hurting!" Shikamaru pleaded with her, seeing her eyes roll in her head he ran over to her before she could collapse, her head landing on his collarbone. "Looks like whatever your Kekkei Genkai is, it really takes it out of you..." he turned to Sasuke, " for her sake you better come home before she kills herself trying to bring you back herself!" He said before signalling to Sakura it was time to go.

She nodded to Shikamaru. " please Sasuke..come home" she said reaching out to him.

He knows that someday he would come home but couldn't let her leave without pulling her against him by her extended hand. " will you wait for me Sakura?" he said looking into her eyes as she nodded at his question, he smiled warmly holding her close to him before laying a gentle kiss on her lips. " as much as I want to come with you, and as much as you hate me for staying I have to.." he said before bolting out the door to find Orochimaru and make sure neither him nor Kakashi was dead by the others hand.

Sakura stood there for a moment, stunned, she touched her lips and smiled. " Sasuke... I'll wait an eternity if I have to.," she said silently to herself before remembering she had to follow Shikamaru, Kakashi met her in the hallway, he looked exhausted covering his Sharingan eye with his headband as she ran from the lair, finding refuge in a hollowed out tree several miles from Orochimaru's lair.

" Did you get to speak to Sasuke..? He held off Orochimaru so I could follow you three... Did something happen..?" he said looking at each of them in turn, Sakura off in her own world, Luna barely conscious and holding Shikamaru hand like her life depended on it.

" We spoke to him... he wants to come home, he has to kill Itachi first, then he said he would return... I don't know what happened before he hit Luna with his Chidori... " he, in turn, was holding her hand tight worried he might lose her because Sasuke got angry.

" Don't worry Shikamaru she's gonna be fine okay? She's faring better than when I hit her with mine.." he said softly placing a hand on his shoulder, giving a comforting squeeze. " Give her a few hours and she'll be back on her feet.. stay with her I'll go find some water.," he said before vanishing from the tree in an instant.

Realising what Kakashi had told him, that he had been hitting Luna with Chidori made him very angry. He brought her hand up to his face as he watched over her. Feeling his breath on her fingers she muttered something he couldn't hear at first. " Luna..?" he leant down to hear her better.

"Thanks for the book," she said between sharp breaths, the mark on her stomach had started to fade and the colour was coming back to her skin.

He smiled resting his forehead on hers. " if I'de have gotten there 10 second's earlier you wouldn't be in this state.." he blamed himself for what happens but overall the mission was a success even if Sasuke didn't leave with them he made a promise to return.

" I'm still alive aren't I?" she asked reaching up with her free hand to touch his cheek, stopping before making contact.

Kakashi had returned with flasks of water and was clearly smiling. " hope I'm not interrupting anything?" he said knowing he had totally interrupted a moment, setting the water down next to Sakura.

Luna's face flushed red, turning her head away trying to force herself to sit up now her strength was returning although where the probes had been still hurt.

Shikamaru shook his head and helped her sit. " Kakashi sensei don't look at us like that!" his cheeks had gone a faint tinge of pink like he had been caught red-handed.


	8. Chapter 8

The journey back to the village was more leisurely and less rushed, managing to avoid alterations with rival ninja villages, by the time the gates were in view Luna was back to her old self, full of energy and grateful for being taken along even if the outcome was not what she would have liked.

The gate guards welcomed them back with smiled, marking them down as in the village again.

Kakashi stooped ahead of them. " I will go debrief the Hokage, you three go get something to eat, you deserve it..." he said saluting them before leaping across the rooftops to the Hokage tower.

Sakura nodded and turned to look behind her at the long road beyond the village, as if waiting for Sasuke to come, shaking her head. " Come on then you two.." She said turning back to her friends.

Luna turned and shook her head. "You guys go ahead, I'm not really hungry.." She said, not making eye contact before she bolted, running along the rooftops and went home.

Shikamaru watched her leave with a sigh, turning to Sakura. "Ichirakus?"

A fortnight had passed since they returned from their mission, Luna had been keeping herself busy with D rank missions around the village and slotting in taijutsu training with Lee when she could, knowing he could push her to the limit of her ability and before too long she was getting better, much better, enough to be able to keep up with rock lee on a good day. She hadn't spoken to anyone much since returning from the mission.

A friendly voice called out to her as she was wrapping up her training session. " Come on Luna, you're coming with me!" Ino wrapped an arm around her. " You've been out here every day for a fortnight, an afternoon off won't kill you.. " she said with a grin. " and besides its music night, so you're coming whether you want to or not.."

"I don't have much say in this do I Ino?" Ino shook her head at her, she sighed. "alright then, can I at least go home and change first..?" She said as she was covered in dust and sweat, Lee had already been called away for a mission by this time.

"yes definitely go change, you look like you've been out here all day..." she said with a broad smile, flicking her hair from her face to look her up and down. "nice to see you're not so scrawny anymore Luna.."

" I'll see you after then Ino, come to mine when you're ready to go..?" She said and finished bagging up her gear. And heading off with a smile on her face back to hers to get ready for an evening out with Ino.

Ino nodded and walked with Luna back to the streets. "See you in a bit!" She waved as she veered off, walking to her home to get ready.

Deciding that she would dress up a little for a change, she went with a fitted black dress that cut off at mid-thigh, letting her hair fall naturally, curling slightly at the ends from being plaited 90% of the time, she didn't bother with make up, feeling that she didn't need it, finishing her outfit with a pair of black short heels. Checking her appearance over in the mirror when she heard the rasp of knocks at her door, assuming it was into she shouted. "Come in the doors open!"

"Come on its time to go!" Ino shouted to her, waiting at the door for her friend, smiling when Luna came out from her room. " Come on then madam, keeping everyone waiting" resting her hand on her hip. " if you weren't wearing black I would have been surprised.." She said with a chuckle.

"I don't always wear black you know...my pyjamas are blue!" Luna said with a smile, walking out of her house with Ino and heading for the bar arm in arm, hardly saying a word until walking into the bar.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted in unison, Luna jumped out of her skin at her friends, her realisation was that it was her birthday, she had completely forgotten.

"Happy Birthday Luna.," Ino said giving her friend a hug. " You forgot..didnt you..?"

Smiling with tears in her eyes she hugged Ino back. "How did you know it was my birthday..? I didn't think I had told anyone.." She said before seeing her friends eyes settle on Shikamaru.

Realising that Ino was staring at him. "Hey don't look at me, not my fault the Hokage left your file on the table..." Shikamaru said rolling his eyes innocently " besides it's a great excuse for a party!"

Luna smiled warmly at Shikamaru. " Peeking at my file were you now..?" She said before hugging him tightly. " Thank you" while everyone was getting drinks she kissed his cheek. "for everything.." She said softly, heading for the bar before he could wrap his arms around her.

With a few drinks in her she happily goes up to dance with Ino and Sakura, Hinata was still too timid to participate but was quite happy talking to Naruto without passing out for a change. Everyone seemed to be having a good time dancing and drinking, even if Kiba had the great idea to play Kunai darts with Shino, which he lost.

An hour into the party and food was being served on the tables, which seemed to be calming the mood and soaking up the alcohol before it could cause an accident, especially with Kiba's Kunai game going on.

Shikamaru plated up some food and sat down at an empty table away from flying Kunai and Naruto's loudness, smiling as he saw everyone was relaxed and having fun together for a change, being so focused on everyone else he didn't notice Luna taking the seat next to him until she poked him in the ribs playfully. He smiled and turned his head to see her. " Enjoying the party so far..?" he asked, Tilting his head.

She smiled, resting her elbow on the table. "Of course I am... everyone else seems to be enjoying too," she said and leant her head on her hand. " are you enjoying..? You've been sat out of the way all evening.."

"sounds to me like you've been keeping an eye on my comings and goings..? " he said with a smirk seeing that her pupils were dilated. "and drinking by the looks of it too..?" His face softened as he offered her food from his plate.

She smiled and picked up a chip of his plate. " and why can't I keep an eye..? Also yes...Kiba gave me something called Whiskey... it didn't taste very nice.." she said before eating the chip.

"I don't blame you for not liking it, it's strong and an acquired taste.." He said watching her for a moment. " seems like every time we talk someone but-" he started speaking but got cut off by Kiba wrapping an arm around his neck and setting a drink beside him. "Kiba I think you better go eat and stop drinking, you'll only get hurt or throw up..." He sighed and gave Luna an apologetic look. " come on you, time to calm down and sober up.." He helped his friend over to the sofa and set a plate of food next to him to eat, lastly heading to the bar and making sure Kiba was cut off bar water. He sighed and walked back to his seat, pulling his shirt back straight.

Luna watched him, eyeing him from head to toe, watching how his muscles moved under his shirt and how the light caught the angles of his face, she knew she has fallen hook line and sinker for him, snapping out of her daydream when he was standing in front of her. "s-sorry. I uh.."

He offered her his hand a broad smile on his face. " would the birthday girl care to dance..?" He asked softly, his smile broadening even more, when she took his hand with a nod, stepping back with her into the open space. The music turned slow as he spun her around and to him, his free hand settling on her waist.

Lunas face lit up and to her felt like she was on fire, her pink cheeks were obvious. Her free hand found his bicep, which was firmer than she had expected, the mood was very intimate and the world around them seemed to fade away as they danced together never taking their eyes from each other.

Shikamaru's expression was soft but his eyes showed a deeper feeling, one hand holding the small of her back, the other at her cheek, he eyed her lips for a second, bringing her closer, smiling when she held his waist, their faces mere inches apart.

Luna leant into him, praying nothing would ruin this moment for them, the moment their lips touched it was like a massive weight of emotion had been lifted, their arms tightened around each other, neither of them wanting to be the one to let go but unfortunately both had to breathe. " I didn't know you could dance.." She said a little breathlessly, smiling broadly resting her forehead on his.

He smiled against her forehead. " I'm full of surprises Luna...You have no idea how long I have waited to kiss you like that.." He said quietly so that only she could hear brushing his thumb along her jawline. " promise you won't keep secrets from me anymore..?" He looked her in the eyes, feeling like he could lose himself in them for days and not notice.

"Promise.. " she leant into his hand, keeping her eyes fixed on his until a big wet tongue got between them and licked their faced frantically, big paws sat on their shoulders. "Akamaru!" She laughed, holding her hand up to prevent his tongue going in her mouth.

Turning his head all he could feel was the tongue on his neck and the half in his ear. "Down boy!" He chuckled and took a sideways step to the big hound fell back onto his front paws. "what got into you then boy...?"

Luna smiled knowingly. "He's jealous..." She knelt down gracefully, considering the length of her dress, to pet Akamaru and scratch behind his ear so he wouldn't feel so left outstanding after a minute. " I probably should be getting home soon, its got to be after midnight. "

Shikamaru smiled and helped her back to her feet. " then let me walk you home..?" He said softly holding her by the waist against him.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, loving how his hands felt on her. " If you promise to be a gentleman. You can walk me home.." She said playing with a few strands of his hair that had fallen loose.

"I think I can manage that.." He smiled and pecked her lips. " we better get going before the owner comes back and blames us for the mess Kiba has made.."

"good plan.." She let go of him reluctantly, letting her hand fall down to his so she could lead him from the bar, not paying attention to the looks they got. Walking hand in hand through the streets to her house in the Uchiha clan residences. "Looks like this is me.."

"Yeah looks like... This is where I leave you then... since I'm a gentleman and all..but that doesn't stop me from saying goodnight properly now does it?" He asked with a smirk, pulling her close to him, to which she giggled.

" Kiss me you fool!" She exclaimed pulling his face down to her by the neck, stopping before their lips touched with a smirk on her face.

" As you wish my dear.." He said before kissing her passionately, holding her close to him, Pulling away reluctantly before the kiss became too heated. " See you later then..?"

"good night Shikamaru.. "she kissed his cheek before heading into her house, closing the door gently behind her. Leaning against the hardwood, unable to stop herself from smiling. She could hear his footsteps as he left which is when she headed out the back of her house to get some fresh air before heading to bed knowing the Chuunin exams were coming up and she had to be ready, deciding to get a good night sleep before continuing with endurance training and chakra control with Lee and Sakura, hoping she would be ready for the exams 3 days from then.


	9. Chapter 9

the morning came for the exams to start and she couldn't be more confident in herself and her team to pass, although her teammates were younger than her, she knew she would watch out for them if it got worse.

She met up with her teammates outside the academy building which was to be used for the first stage of the exams, roughly 50 teams or 150 Genin had turned up to take the exams in the leaf that day, thinking a good third would be going home before the end of the day and praying she wouldn't be one of them.

As always her hair was plaited and leant over her shoulder, her black crop top had the Uchiha crest on the back, feeling comfortable displaying it, the crest had also been engraved onto the hilts of her short blades and full katana that now hung at her belt, everything was black on her. "I'm ready for this..." The thought to herself heading into the building and up to the auditorium where the first part was being held, they were split up and scattered around the room, once everyone was seated the proctor signalled for the tests to be handed out.

"one hour, no cheating, you'll be thrown out and fail...we catch you trying to cheat, you fail...automatic fail if you get the last question wrong.. remember we are watching you all closely," he said as about 50 eagle-eyed ninjas stood waiting to catch people cheating. " Oh and I forgot to mention...if one member of your team fails..so do you. Good Luck.." Once ever copy had been handed out. "BEGIN!" The timer started and the noise of hundreds of papers being flipped over, before a grasping silence at the content of the test, intense mathematical equations, theoretical trajectory analysis.

She glanced around the room at horrified faces, some who seemed to know what they were doing had already started, she sat and thought a moment, coming to the realisation that they want you to cheat but not get caught doing it, she gave the booklet a read through, the questions were meant to be beyond Genin comprehension but she could understand at least half of each question to be able to give a solid answer. She hoped her team could stick the pressure and try to answer at least some of the questions.

During that hour a good 20 teams failed either by being caught cheating or unable to hack the pressure, spotting her teammates as the crowded seats emptied she gave a soft sigh of relief, seeing them giving it a damn good try.

The bell tolled at the end of the hour and the proctor stood. " Time for the final question...irrespective of how you have done on the written test, this will decide whether or not you pass this stage of the exams, if you fail this question you cant retake the exam next year, you may leave and try again next year. If you don't think you will answer it correctly.." And with that, another 15 teams left, mostly down to one member quitting.

Her team found her and nodded to her as if to say "we're staying" she was proud of them for sticking it out.

The proctor looked at the eagle eyes in the room seeing they were happy. " is that all who are leaving..?" He asked but no one budged, 15 teams out of 50 remained in the room. "in that case... you all pass the first stage.." He said with a broad smile on his face while many of the Genin looked at each other in bewilderment. " the last question was your decision to stay... even with the chance of never becoming a Chunin being thrown at you. you stayed so you passed...head outside for the next phase.."

The tension in the room cleared quickly and the stress was cut in half, it was only going to get tougher for her and her team from now on, they met up outside, following the flow of the remaining groups of Genin, and walked together to the site of the next phase, "The forest of death" as it was lovingly named was the site of the next phase, the size of the trees above her were enough to understand its name.

The Proctor for this stage was a young woman, late 20's had everyone gather around her at a fallen tree so she could explain how this stage would work. " right you lot...I'm not going to baby you about it but this is going to test you all to your limits..in there..there are no rules. In your teams you will be given scrolls, one will be blue and the other will be cream, to pass this stage you have to get both scrolls and make it to the station at the very centre of the area...simple you may think, but you won't know which team has what scroll...one team at a time will be called forward to collect their scrolls, we will give you 30 minutes to prepare before we start calling you forward "

Finding a spot to sit down to check her equipment and supplies, deciding to twist her plait into a bun so it wouldn't get caught on anything, standing after checking everything was in place and to put her blades back in their holsters when a hand came around her waist, pulling her back towards the hands owner

"Hey, Luna...Long time no see" he said leaning his head against the side of hers as if grateful to see her.

Her immediate instinct was to unsheathe her katana, but a hand wrapped around her wrist as her hand touched the hilt. "Who are you?" All she could see of him was a mass of pure white hair and part of his nose, she didn't recognise him.

" Really..? You don't remember your best friend..?" He sounded hurt, letting his grip on her loosen enough he could move in front of her. " I didn't think you would forget me so quickly..." He only then noticed the scar adorning her eye. " your face... what happened?"

She looked at him, recognition covered her face as the memory of her friend from the land of lightning came back to her. "Naioki..? " She gave him a warm smile. "I didn't realise you were participating..." She said ignoring the question about her scar.

"Ah, so you didn't forget me. I'm glad, maybe once this is over we can have a proper catch-up..? I've missed you, Luna, It's not been the same back home without you.." He said lovingly brushing some hair from her face to look at her eyes, the sight soothed him.

"Naoki... " she couldn't help looking at him, he had changed so much since she left, he still had his confidence but he was more muscular, even if it didn't show, she could feel the strength in his arm when he had held her, he had even grown a soul patch which she thought suited him.

"Luna..." He leant in to kiss her but she turned her head, he felt a little hurt but he should have known that a girl as beautiful as her would already be seeing someone. " you're seeing someone..?"

"Sorry, Naoki but I am... he's a really nice guy, if it weren't for him I would probably be dead..." She said remembering waking up in the hospital and Shikamaru's face was the first she saw.

" I'm the one who should be apologising, I should have known...maybe after all this is over you can introduce me to him..?" He said with a wink lightning the tension between them and knowing where he stood with her.

" Maybe when he comes home," she said softly before turning to the proctor who was starting to get everyone's attention. " you should probably get back to your team before they think you quit on them.."

He chuckled. "you haven't changed have you...try not to kill me in there okay..?" He said and headed back to his team who welcomed him back like a brother.

Once every team had received their scrolls and were in position at their gates, a timer was set for 10 seconds, at which the gates would open and this phase would begin.

Lunas team possessed a blue scroll which she stowed away in her pouch, her team voted and felt it would be safer with her. Looking at both members of her team in turn with a nod as the timer counted down to zero, a loud buzzer screeched at each gate, and at that, everyone rushed in, her team heading high in the trees and sending clones on the ground below them I the hopes of drawing people in.

Almost an hour passed before the first signs of fighting could be heard through the dense woods, Luna and her team stopped, hearing something coming below them, their clones appearing tired and In need if a rest, they could see bushes rustling around their clones, having trained to maintain their clones even after attack to mimic death or unconsciousness, Kunai flew in quickly hitting the clones in vital points that would usually be instant death if they werent clones, the clones collapsed, blood dripping from the wounds, the assailants thinking they had gotten an upper hand came from cover, talking amongst themselves, too quiet to be heard from the tree tops.

The moment the assailants went to check the "bodies" for the scrolls Lunas team launched from the trees, each member landing silently behind an assailant with blades at their necks. The clones vanished in puffs of smoke. " I do believe you have something of ours..? The scroll if you please.." Luna said with a wry smirk on her face, reaching into the back pouch of the man she had at blade point, pulling the scroll from it. " I do believe our business here has concluded. Lets go.." She hid the scroll in her pouch, relieved it was the one they needed, with that they in sync jabbed the pressure points on the neck of the team they had cornered, rendering them unconscious before they could turn and defend themselves.

" We should head to the station and try to avoid any unnecessary conflicts..."


End file.
